KSHB 41 reporter Lily O’Shea Becker covers Franklin and Douglas counties in Kansas. Share your story idea with Lily.
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David Sauter, co-owner of Lawrence T-shirt printing business Acme, said it wasn't long ago he joked he should begin printing World Cup shirts.
It's no longer a joke and has quickly become a reality. Sales are up by 120% over the past week, Sauter says.
"Algerians, Ecuadorians, we just had a Czech family visit," Sauter said. "I don’t think there’s actually a Czech game around here, but they just wanted a T-shirt. It’s been great.”
Sauter says for every Team USA shirt he's printed and sold at Acme, the storefront has sold 10 Team Algeria shirts.
Morgan Fellers, owner and operator of Lawrence boutique Eccentricity, says she's also selling more Algeria gear than USA gear.
Both small businesses have created their own designs, with Sauter saying he's had requests for most World Cup teams.
“It’s been kind of bananas, at least for us," Fellers said. "We’re a smaller business, so I think I ordered around 100 to start, and I was very nervous about that."
Fellers estimates she's sold between 300 and 400 shirts since the first week of June. On Monday, she waited for her fourth restock, increasing the order size to about 150 shirts.
“We’ve had people from all over the United States, people calling from all over who can’t get to Lawrence, but they’re saying, ‘Hey, we want these tees or we want to be a part of it. Can we order them online?’ So, we do have them on our website now," Fellers said.
Both Sauter and Fellers have noticed the popularity of Team Algeria T-shirts with a hint of Lawrence. Acme recently added a "Rock Chalk Algeria" shirt to its inventory.
"I think just with the coverage you’ve seen nationally, too, people really appreciate that and they’re like, ‘I want to be a part of this in some way,’" Fellers said. "The tees with them actually saying 'Lawrence' or 'Lawrence, Kansas,' somewhere on them helps them commemorate that.”
Lawrence has gained worldwide attention for its welcome to Algeria and its fans.
“A family traveling from California stopped in Lawrence because of all the press coverage," Sauter said. "They just wanted to see what was going on. They were driving all the way to Buffalo.”
The town continues to adopt the team and its fans with watch parties planned for Monday, when Algeria plays Jordan at the San Francisco Bay Area Stadium, and for June 27, when Algeria returns to Kansas City Stadium for a match against Austria.
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